This invention relates to apparatus for liquifying snow and more particularly to apparatus which transfers heat, by conduction and convection, to the snow to melt the snow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide new and novel apparatus for liquifying snow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide snow liquifying apparatus including a snow receiving hopper, a duct for introducing heated fluid medium to the hopper after it is used to heat an outside portion of the snow receiving hopper.
It is another object of the present invention to provide snow liquifying apparatus including an open bottom, snow receiving hopper closed by a heat exchange duct which communicates with a source of pressurized, heated fluid medium.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide snow liquifying apparatus including a snow receiving tank closed along the bottom side thereof by a heat transmitting duct which is connected to a source of heated fluid medium and communicates with the chamber to introduce the heated fluid medium in the duct directly to the tank to melt the snow therein.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide snow liquifying apparatus including a snow receiving hopper having a heat transfer duct at the bottom thereof and an outlet for draining the liquified snow spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom so that a predetermined amount of liquified snow remains at the bottom of the tank to enhance the rapid melting of snow.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide snow melting apparatus of the type described including a duct, adjoining a snow melting chamber, provided with internal baffles which direct the heat toward the chamber to maximize the heat transfer to the snow.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by the following description.